Wall base construction



R. H. SLOWINSKI 3,073,068

WALL BASE CONSTRUCTION Jan. 15, 1963 Filed Feb. 9, 1956 n! I INVENTOR.

'3 I4 bert H. Slowinski Fig 3 ATTORNEY 3,073,068 WALL BAE CONSTRUCTION Robert H. Siowinski, Tonawanda, N.Y., assignor to lflational Gypsum Qompany, Buffalo, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 9, 1956, Ser. No. 564,576 2 Claims. (Cl. 50-444) This invention relates to wall construction and is especially directed to the base structure thereof, and is a continuation, in part, of application Serial No. 403,703, filed January 13, 1954, now Patent No. 2,887,870.

A metal frame wall or partition with or without an exposed metal baseboard extending along the floorline and ordinarily a surface of plaster flush with and extending upward from respectively the baseboard or floor is a well recognized, economical wall construction. Various known structures have been provided as means for supporting, at the base, the studs, lath, plaster and baseboard. A most economical and rapidly constructed means, and one which is least conducive to damage during subsequent operations, is highly essential in such structures.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a partition base structure wherein the several elements may be applied with facility as required and, thus, need not be applied simultaneously at a time prior to the need for the presence of any element, avoiding interference of prematurely applied elements with the possibility of damage to these obstructing elements. Briefly, this is accomplished by a novel arrangement of the means for attaching successive portions of the base structure to one another.

A further object of the invention is to provide a parti-' tion base structure which permits a substantial improvement in the speed of erection of the partition. Briefly, this is accomplished by providing simplified means for attaching successive elements so that once a simple floor runner is fixed along the desired extent of a partition, subsequent elements may be readily set in place and will be self-supporting due to their structure without requiring further steps of attachment.

These and other objects and advantages will appear more fully when considered in connection with the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the base portion of a wall having a baseboard, which base portion is constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the novel base clip included in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective sectional view of the base portion of a wall, having no baseboard, which base portion is constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3, the numeral designates a floor, which may be of wood, concrete or any other of the usual construction materials. In accordance with the invention, an elongate floor runner 11, of U- shaped cross section, is disposed on the surface of the floor 10 extending whereat a partition or wall is desired to be constructed. A plurality of holes 12 are suitably spaced along the center-line of the channel base 13 for the reception of nails 14 or other suitable fasteners which are driven therethrough into the floor 10 to aflix the runner 11 along its desired disposition.

Runner 11 has two short vertical flanges 20 extending upward from each lateral edge thereof, providing means for the rapid application of subsequently applied elements of the partition. FIGS. 1 and 3 show the subsequently applied elements applied on one flange 20 only of runner 11 to form respectively a baseboard wall 21, and a non- Patented Jan. 15, 1953v baseboard wall 61, it being understood that a partition, being two oppositely facing walls, may be constructed by similar application on the opposite flange 20 of similar elements.

After positioning and affixing runner 11 or a plurality of runners 11 disposed end to end in the desired straight line or angular relation, one to the other, the vertical studs 22 are then installed, extending upward from runners 11 to provide horizontal support of walls 21 or 61 throughout the vertical extent thereof. Studs 22 may be of any of the usual forms, the preferred form being, as shown, a verticaly disposed U-channel or wire webbed channel, and a plurality of such studs are incorporated and disposed at positions spaced apart horizontally in the order of 16 to 24 inches throughout the extent of wall 21.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, in the fabrication of base board wall 21, base clips 25 are slid or pushed into position on flanges 20, the clips 25 being preferably spaced apart a distance equal to the stud spacing and disposed on flanges 20 substantially midway between stud dispositions. Clips 25 are formed from a blank of sheet metal by proper cutting and bending as described herebelow.

At the inner base portion of clip 25, a reversely bent lip 26 forms a groove 27, suitable for a tight-fitting reception of flange 20, the groove 27 being of sufiicient depth to allow the bottom face 28 of clip 25 to be supported by the floor 10 when lip 26 is disposed about flange 20. 1

Extending upward from the opposite edge of the clip. bottom-face 28 is a base strip retaining portion 30 having a top lip 31 bent over to form an angle in the order of Two cut-out tabs 32 and 33 in the retaining portion 30 are cut therefrom on three sides and bent outward at the fourth to extend without the plane of the retaining portion. Lower tab 32 extends outward in the plane of the bottom-face from the junction line of the bottom-face 28 and the retaining portion 30 for a short distance to a bend 34, from which bend the tab 32 extends upward to form a bottom lip 35. The central tab 33 bent along the top edge thereof, extends acutely inward and downward.

Following the slip-on application of clips 25, lath 40, preferably in the form of narrow gypsum boards, is applied to the studs 22, the bottom edgesof la-th 40 being disposed in the clips 25 between lips 26 and retaining portions 30. Central tabs 33 are bent inward sufiiciently to urge lath 40 inward against lips 26. Attachment of the lath to studs may be by any of the usual methods and forms no part of this invention.

After applying the lath, elongate strips of metal base 41 are readily slid or pushed onto the previously attached base clips 25, due to the complementary form thereof. The metal base 41 is a strip of any suitable length having a constant sectional form consisting of a double reverse bend 42 along the bottom edge thereof and an inverted J-bend 43 along the top edge. The double bend 42 forms a downward opening groove 44 for a tight-fit reception of bottom lip 35 and is formed to allow the metal base to abut the floor 10 when so mounted on clips 25. The J-bend 43 along the top edge of base 41 forms a wide groove 45, with a Width slightly less than the width of top lip 31, to provide a generally locking engagement therewith to prevent accidental misaligning of base 41 during subsequent operations.

It will be apparent that the general form of the base clip 25 and the base 41 is such that the distance between the bent lip 26 and the outer face 50 of base 41 is equal to the total thickness of wall 21 to provide the preferred construction wherein the base 41 is flush with the wall finished surface 51. Thus, fabrication of the wall 21 is completed by the application of suitable coats of plaster 3 52, in the manner, so that the finished surface 51, is flush with base 41. A plaster grout 53 will also, ordinarily, be formed in or filled into the space between the base 41 and lath '40 to provide stability to the base 41.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the base portion of a nonbaseboard wall 61 is shown, also built in accordance with and embodying the present invention. In the fabrication of non-baseboard wall 61, modified base clips 65 are slid or pushed into position on flanges 20, the clips 65 being preferably spaced apart a distance equal to the stud spacing and disposed on flanges 20 substantially midway between stud dispositions. Clips 65 are formed from a blank of sheet metal by proper cutting and bending as described herebelow.

At the inner base portion of clip 65, a reversely bent lip 66 forms a groove 67, suitable for a tight-fitting reception of flange 20, the groove 67 being preferably of sufficient depth to allow the bottom face 68 of clip 65 to be supported by the floor when lip 66 is disposed about flange 20.

Extending upward from the opposite edge of the clip bottom-face 68 is a retaining portion 70 for the fixed positioning and holding of the bottom edge of lath 40 relative to the runner 11 and, thus, all other elements of the system. Portion 70 is a generally square outer wall of clip 65, extending generally upwardly from outer edge of the horizontally disposed bottom-face 68 at an angle thereto of slightly less than 90 to provide a resilient means for grasping the lath 40. The upper extremity 71 of portion 70 is preferably turned outward in the order of 10 from the general plane of portion 70 to provide ease of insertion of lath 40.

Thus, groove 67 provides means for rapid attachment of the lath receiving clip, which may be applied onto a runner flange only immediately prior to the application of lath. Bottom-face ,68, with upwardly extending lip ,66 and upwardly extending portion 70 at each side thereof, provide means for the very rapid insertion therein and grasping and holding thereby of a lath bottom edge, equalto, but far more rapid and adaptable, than the best means heretofore.

Fabrication of thewall61 is completed by the application of suitable coats of plaster 52 extending to the floor 10, completely embedding the clip 65 Various forms of cove strips, molding or tile may then be applied on the plaster lower edge for purposes of dress or protection.

Thus, it will be apparent that each of the successively applied elements of the wall base structure need not be applied, in the course of the wall construction, prior to the immediate need of the element for the purpose or functions for which it is included. The novel base structure has been broken down to the most desirable number of elements capable of being applied to the system at the most opportune time in the construction schedule and due to the combinations of readily appliable complementary portions of the successive elements, a rapidly fabricated, clearly improved, more economical and desirable structure is provided.

Having completed a detailed disclosure of the preferred embodiments of my invention so that those skilled in the art may practice the same, I contemplate that variations may be made without departing from the essence of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A permanent, hollow, plaster wall base structure comprising an upwardly opening elongate floor runner of generally U-shaped cross section, having arelatively wide, flat, horizontally disposed base portion and relatively short flanges extending upwardly along each edge thereof, said floor runner being afiixed to a floor along the extent of said wall, and a plurality of relatively short, generally S-shaped cross-section, base clips slidably aflixed at spaced positions on said flanges, said base clips each being comprised substantially solely of a downwardly opening, flang receiving groove slidably aflixed on one of said flanges and an upwardly opening, floor abutting, lath retaining groove, a sheet of lath having a bottom edge disposed in said lath retaining groove, the outer vertically extending face portion of said lath retaining groove abutting the outer face of the said bottom edge of a sheet of lath and resiliently urging said sheet of lath into a fixed position closely adjacent said fixed runner flange, said clip outer face portion and said lath bottom edge being embedded in a coating of plaster adhered and set upon said lath face, substantially throughout the extent of said lath face.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said outer verticallyextending face portion includes a lower inwardly directed portion and an upper outwardly directed portion for improved ease of application and tighter resilient grasping of said lath sheet.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,887,663 Reed Nov. 1-5, 1932 2,038,115 Keller Apr. 21, 1936 2,078,491 Graham Apr. 27, 1937 2,283,167 Burson May 19, 1942 2,381,635 Baker Aug. 7, 1945 2,921,464 Olsen Jan. 19, 1960 

1. A PERMANENT, HOLLOW, PLASTER WALL BASE STRUCTURE COMPRISING AN UPWARDLY OPENING ELONGATE FLOOR RUNNER OF GENERALLY U-SHAPED CROSS SECTION, HAVING A RELATIVELY WIDE, FLAT, HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED BASE PORTION AND RELATIVELY SHORT FLANGES EXTENDING UPWARDLY ALONG EACH EDGE THEREOF, SAID FLOOR RUNNER BEING AFFIXED TO A FLOOR ALONG THE EXTENT OF SAID WALL, AND A PLURALITY OF RELATIVELY SHORT, GENERALLY S-SHAPED CROSS-SECTION, BASE CLIPS SLIDABLY AFFIXED AT SPACED POSITIONS ON SAID FLANGES, SAID BASE CLIPS EACH BEING COMPRISED SUBSTANTIALLY SOLELY OF A DOWNWARDLY OPENING, FLANGE RECEIVING GROOVE SLIDABLY AFFIXED ON ONE OF SAID FLANGES AND AN UPWARDLY OPENING, FLOOR ABUTTING, LATH RETAINING GROOVE, A SHEET OF LATH HAVING A BOTTOM EDGE DISPOSED IN SAID LATH RETAINING GROOVE, THE OUTER VERTICALLY EXTENDING FACE PORTION OF SAID LATH RETAINING GROOVE ABUTTING THE OUTER FACE OF THE SAID BOTTOM EDGE OF A SHEET OF LATH AND RESILIENTLY URGING SAID SHEET OF LATH INTO A FIXED POSITION CLOSELY ADJACENT SAID FIXED RUNNER FLANGE, SAID CLIP OUTER FACE PORTION AND SAID LATH BOTTOM EDGE BEING EMBEDDED IN A COATING OF PLASTER ADHERED AND SET UPON SAID LATH FACE, SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGHOUT THE EXTENT OF SAID LATH FACE. 